First Job
It comes back now – like my first job
At “Fresh Air Camp” with my friend Bob
That weekend just before first camp
When to that Lutheran Church staff went.I later met that preacher when
I worked at Church in Keewatin
He did some “street work” helping folks
When fishing stopped – pollution broke.That Sunday he quite simple was –
“Faith is as real as faith then does”,
“Don’t play it safe, along the shore,
Launch into deep – of life there’s more”.With Russ and boys and staff we went
“Clean up and your best selves present
It’s to His house that we now go
We’ll walk two miles to town you know”That day’s so vivid for me now:
My journal started then; and how
With shady trees along that road
The preacher’s words spoke to my load –Of cares and thoughts, what would I do?
My life ahead, first job so new;
Good friends around, here at the lake
Helping some kids , for Goodness’ sake.Two weeks half done on building site
Sunday between that seems so right
We’d opened camp, fixed it for kids
These weeks of work, those thoughts now bids.The preacher talked – said “move ahead
It won’t be long till we’re all dead,
We’re built to move forward not back
Let go of past, there’ll be no lack”.He simply said, “to mirror go –
Eyes hand and feet and ears an nose
All look to front and not the past
As we are built, move on at last.”One other thing brought comfort’s tone
As I reflected walking home:
The tempo of a common life
Six days of work, then rest with wife.Not fancy complicated world
Bandied about within the whirl;
Just common folks with common tasks
Asked to look forward, not turn back.No perfect church, no perfect task
Here in our world – can do as asked?
We can move on from where we were
Life can be good despite the swirl.navigation